I come home from Todd’s memorial
(Janet is out of town)
and our old cat is dead on the patio
her muscles completely lax, her
eyes half open, she’s been stone
deaf about six months, her kidneys
giving her a rough ride, they say
she’s 87 and that I’m almost 57
I kneel next to her and notice
her little calico breath faintly
raising in her fur, she is close
to death
I lay my hand gently on her flank
and she perks right up
with a joyous raspy cackle so glad to
be alive and napping luxuriously
on the patio bricks she purrs and
purrs like a little motor boat

group therapy
restructuring his cognitive behavior
addict
cocaine/meth
daily use
a teener to an 8-ball
sometimes twice a day
in the here & very now
supposedly processing
what the hell’s wrong with him
working those maladaptive
and illogical core beliefs-
all he can think of
is global warming
polar bears
floating on broken
chunks of ice
towards
malibu or newport beach
taking up residency
feeding on surfers
and beach bums
oh and the next dime baggy
he can score
at the mexican cafe
two doors down……

Please Note: Here is a little extra from Mark Weber’s Jazz Radio Show, THE ALBUQUERQUE YACHT CLUB, April 22, 2010 at KUNM. Cal Haines and Michael Glynn on a private recording (25feb2010) playing “Bouncing with Bud”. Much more on Cal Haines can be found by clicking here…